Rising food inflation, direct impact of climate change – Managing Partner Sahel Consulting
Stakeholders in the agriculture value chain in the country have stressed the need to accelerate climate-smart agriculture, access to financing and adoption of strategic policies in the sector. The participants at the 2023 Sahel Food System Changemakers Conference, organized by by Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition in Abuja also emphasized the need to promote sustainable […]
Stakeholders in the agriculture value chain in the country have stressed the need to accelerate climate-smart agriculture, access to financing and adoption of strategic policies in the sector.
The participants at the 2023 Sahel Food System Changemakers Conference, organized by by Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition in Abuja also emphasized the need to promote sustainable farming techniques that are resilient to climate change, such as agroforestry, conservation agriculture, and precision farming.
They say such practices can help enhance productivity, conserve natural resources, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In a communique at the end of the conference, themed: Rethinking food and nutrition security in the face of climate change: Scaling innovations and driving urgent public-private partnership actions, the conference emphasized the imperative of fostering synergy among diverse stakeholders to yield impactful outcomes, thereby strengthening Nigeria’s position and influence in effectively addressing the pressing challenges in the agric sector.
It added that through interactions, the participants were able to collectively explore innovative strategies and solutions to enhance food security, nutrition, and sustainability in Nigeria.
In his welcome address, the Managing Partner, Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition, Mr. Temi Adegoroye, warned that climate change is no longer a distant threat to food security but a plain reality that affects every aspect of human endeavour.
He also blamed the country’s rising food inflation which he put at about 25 per cent in the third quarter of 2023 on the impact of climate change, forcing many households to spend almost 60 per cent of their income on food.
However, he reaffirmed the company’s deeply ingrained commitment to changing the agriculture and nutrition environment through cooperative efforts with a range of stakeholders, such as international development groups and government agencies.
Daily Trust reports that the conference encompassed six distinct sessions, comprising a presentation on the state of the Nigerian Food and Nutrition landscape, a fireside chat, an innovation panel, seven breakout sessions, and a plenary session.
The conference hosted over 500 delegates from 20 countries, both in person and online. Among the attendees were 12 heads of international donor organizations, five Ministries and Agencies, numerous researchers, civil society organizations, commodity associations, Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs), and private agribusiness companies.